You know it's bad when the mayor of the city where the president lives snubs the commander in chief.

Recently installed Washington, D.C., Mayor Adrian Fenty drew local voters to the voting booths by promising a "bright new vision for D.C." And that vision, it turns out, does not include a close-up view of the First Lady.

During last night's State of the Union address, you might have noticed Fenty taking in the evening from his seat alongside newly minted Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. In past years, however, former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams regularly attended and witnessed the annual event as a guest of the First Lady - whether that invite came from Republican Laura Bush or Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Fenty, on the other hand, turned down an invitation to attend the speech with Laura Bush because the president has not publicly endorsed a bill that would give Washington a voting representative in Congress, a Fenty staff member confirmed yesterday to the Politico's Amy Doolittle.

The Great Christmas Tree Caper

Looks like the spokesman for Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., isn't very happy with The Politico.

Our item yesterday noted how Foxx introduced a "Christmas Tree resolution" during the holiday season on the House floor to "recognize the contributions of the Christmas Tree growers to the United States Economy." Which prompted our colleague Ryan Grim to call her up and ask why.

Turns out Foxx has ties to a nursery which her daughter now manages, and Grim asked if she thought the resolution was a conflict of interest. She said no. An e-mail from Foxx's spokesperson, Michael Frohlich, circulated to various press types on the Hill yesterday calling Grim "quite duplicitous" and contending that he "blindsided" Foxx. Apologies to Team Foxx, but the question here is: What do you expect us to ask when, by Foxx's own admission, she owns a nursery -- and then introduces a peculiar resolution in support and celebration of Christmas tree growers?

We contacted Frohlich, who told us that he stands by his word. "We have nothing to hide from. She isn't doing this for self interest or self gain… I don't even see how this can be a conflict of interest. There's no appropriating money or earmarks here, this is just a recognition."

And this is our recognition of their concern.

Dial "M" for …

As Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., tests the waters on a run for the White House, his exploratory committee has set up shop in a northern Virginia office building - which, much like his campaign, is still under construction.

But once the building is complete, staffers shouldn't have any problems remembering which elevator button to push. The nerve center of McCain's 2008 campaign, the "Straight Talk Express," will be located on floor "M." The exact meaning of the "M" remains unclear. McCain? McFly? Macho Man? Whatever, but it's certainly a step up from the floor's original designation, an unlucky 13.

Still, support for floor M is far from unanimous. "I would have called it the 'V' floor for Victory," one observer said.

Smoke 'em If You Got 'em, Johnny

Despite Speaker Nancy Pelosi's efforts to extinguish smoking in the Capitol, it seems at least one member of Congress continues to exercise his right to light up and puff - albeit in his office, with the door shut, when no one is looking.

Sources say House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, regularly expresses his opposition to Madam Speaker's recently implemented smoking ban by sucking back his trademark Barclays in regular, closed-door sessions. Although the Democratic takeover has stripped the former House majority leader of much of his authority, he continues to smoke at a brisk, if unhealthy, pace, insiders say.

The Sharks and the Jetes

Although the organizers of the sixth annual Dance Party for the Washington Ballet's Jete society envisioned an evening of elegant merrymaking, the event soon devolved into a high-stakes "dance off."

The gathering, held last week at the Italian Embassy and hosted by Winston Lord and Ashley Taylor, was created in honor of the Jete Society, a collection of The Washington Ballet's young benefactors, who, thanks to The Ballet's liberal definition of "young," range in age from 21 to 45 years old.

The popularity of the event drew an overflowing crowd of more than 600 people, and event officials were forced to turn away 500 would-be party-goers, who quickly established a rival "unofficial" party at another location.

The two groups met up later that night, in the wee hours of the morning at -- where else? -- the preppy whale-pant set's favorite watering hole, Smith Point, where they proceeded to square off in a winner-take-all "dance off." We are not kidding.

I loved watching President Bush diss Sheila Jackson Lee. Congressperson Lee gets her aisle seat TWELVE hours in advance so that she can get on the tube schmoozing the President, even though she trashes him for the rest of the Session. At his first SOTU, he stopped, chatted, and kissed his fellow Texan. This year, he didnt even make eye contact as she continued to jabber at him. He stopped in front of her, but conversed with Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. She was still yapping as he walked away.